Women with blood group A have an 18 per cent higher risk of breast cancer compared to women with blood group 0, according to the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date on the link between blood groups and the disease, N1 reports, citing Oncotarget.
The research team, led by Rahaf Alchazal from Yarmouk University and Khaled J. Zaitoun from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Jordan University of Science and Technology, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 previously published studies. These encompassed more than 13,000 patients with breast cancer and more than 717,000 control participants from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.
The analysis showed that blood group A was the most prevalent among those affected. No significant association was found for blood groups B and AB, nor for the Rh factor.
The authors emphasise that the results do not prove a causal link, but point to a biological pattern that requires further research. Blood group antigens are proteins on the surface of cells, including breast tissue, so they could influence the development and spread of cancer through interaction with the immune system or by affecting cell behaviour.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women worldwide, and identifying risk factors is key to early detection and prevention. Researchers believe that blood group A could in future be considered as a potential risk marker and basis for earlier or more frequent screening, but they warn that regional differences, genetic diversity and the quality of individual studies may influence the results.
